Charles dodge



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. C. DODGE.

AGCOUTREMENT SUPPORT. No. 581,541. PatentedApr. 27, 1897.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. C. D O D GE `AGGOU'IREMEBVI SUB-PMN;

Patented Apr. 27

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UNITED STATES ATBNT Brion,

CHARLES DODGE, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

ACCOUTREIVIENT-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,541, dated April 27, 1897. Application filed August 22, 1896. Serial No. 603,613. (No model.)

To LZZ wit/0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES DODGE, captain Twenty-fourth Infantry, United States Army, have invented a new and useful Accoutrement-Support, of which the following is a specification.

The subject of my invention is designed principally as a substitute for a knapsack or other form of pack carried on the soldiers back, although it is applicable to various receptacles or accoutrements which'are commonly carried on the body.

My invention is an improvement on the blanket-roll and support for soldiers for which Letters Patent No. 486,370 were issued to me on November 15, 1892.

In my present invention I dispense with the yoke or frame to which the roll was secured, and I also dispense with the shoulderstrap, which was located beneath the yoke or frame.

One feature of my invention consists of a piece of canvas, such as an ordinary sheltertent or any suitable equivalent lexible covering rolled and so combined with a shoulderstrap, such as the ordinary haversack-strap, and which said roll and strap may be hung over the respective shoulders of the wearer and the weight of the pack and object supported by the strap maybe imposed equally upon both shoulders or all on either shoulder, at will, without removing the pack from the body.

Another feature of my invention consists in combining with one or both of said parts which rest upon the shoulders a shaping-piece so applied that it will limit all the pressure of the load to the shoulder or shoulders and prevent any pressure upon the body or chest of the wearer, and in this way avoid the most fruitful source of discomfort in such equipments and insure perfect ventilation of the body.

My invention further consists in the details of arrangements which are preferably employed in carrying out the aforementioned features of my invention. In combining the shaping-piece withV the canvas cover or shelter-tent said piece may be permanently Xed to said part orit may be detached. It may also be formed rigidly in the shape which it is desired to have it assume when shaping the pack or other part to which it is applied to prevent contact with the chest or back. I

prefer, however, in carrying out this feature with the part to which it is applied when the 6o pack is being formed and assume a position at about the middle of the roll, and have the quality of compelling the latter, when bent in the middle, to assume a curved or oval shape, so that the middle part may rest verti- 65 cally upon the shoulder, but the downwardlyv hanging ends will be prevented from coming in contact with the chest or back, as would be the case if the roll was simply bent at the middle point without any shaping-piece. 7o

This shaping-piece of steel, as will be understood, will straighten itself out by its own resiliency when the roll is unpacked, and will therefore offer no inconvenience in the use of the covering as a shelter-tent when necessary. 7 5

In mounting the pack upon the body I employ a strap passing over the other shoulder, which is connected to the roll in a novel manner. The ordinary haversack-strap well subserves this purpose, and to make the neces- 8o 'i sary connection with the roll I employ front and .rear roll-straps, which pass around the roll and which are connected with the shoulder-strap by means of adjusting-straps. The

roll-straps are applied at about the points where the shoulder-strap andgroll cross each other when in their proper positions on the body, and by this means the combined load of the roll and haversack is approximately divided between the two shoulders. Having 9o thus combined the parts, the load may be accurately divided between the two shoulders or applied to either shoulder separately by the simple act of changing the adjustingstraps which connect the two parts of the accoutrement together.

My invention as above outlined will be fully understood upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of a shelter-tent which is roo employed as the covering for a blanket-roll as now used, and to. which is applied, along the middle part of one edge, a resilient shaping-strip, as herein described. Fig. 2 is a view of the same rolled ready to be bent into form to be put upon the wearer, as indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a View of the shoulder-strap or l1aversack-strap, together with the roll-straps supported therefrom through the medium of adj usting-straps. Fig. a represents the roll and haversack together with the supporting-straps all assembled in condition to be put on by the wearer. Fig. 5 is a side view illustrating the position in which the aecoutrement is worn and showing the eect of the shaping-piece to prevent pressure upon the back or chest. Fig. 6 is a rear view illustrating the relative positions of the parts on the wearer.

In the preferred form of my invention a shelter-tent 1, Fig. l, or other equivalent piece of canvas or ilexible covering of appropriate dimensions has applied to it, along one edge and about midway of the greatest length of the covering, a resilient shaping-piece 2. (I have found in practice that a strip of nineounce steel band answers well for the purpose.) For convenience the shaping-strip 2 is held in place in a pocket 3, stitched to the shelter-tent, as shown, although it may be secured in any other suitable manner. Having thus prepared the shelter-ten t, the blanhet and other effects, together with extra ammunition, are spread and distributed in usual manner upon the cover l, and the whole is then rolled into the shape disclosed by Fig. 2. If rolled from the side to which the shaping-piece is attached, the latter will remain at about the center of the roll when completed. If the roll is begun at the opposite side, the shaping piece or strip will occupy the outside of the roll;4 In either case the roll may be bent at the middle to bring the opposite ends together, as suggested by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and said ends secured by guycords of the shelter-tent in the usual manner, and the middle or bent portion of the roll will be compelled to assume a rounded or curved shape instead of an abrupt bend, as is the case with rolls as now worn. This curving of the roll constitutes the main feature of my invention, as it is such as to make it impossible for pressure to be imparted from the roll to either the back or the chest when on the wearer.

Having thus shaped the roll, it is ready to be connected with the supporting-straps, which are illustrated more clearly by Fig. 3, and which comprise the shoulderstrap or haversack strap 4, having the attachinghooks 5 at its lower end and at or near its upper or middle portion the rings 6, with which roll-straps 7 are connected through the medium of adjusting-straps 8. The supporting-straps are combined with the roll by buckling the roll-straps 7 around said roll at about the points where the roll will naturally cross the haversackstrap on the wearer. This done, the weight may be distributed, as

hereinbefore referred to, by lengthening or shortening 'the adjusting-straps S while the aecoutrement is in place upon the wearer.

The accoutrement is worn as indicated in Figs. 5 and G, and from Fig. 5 it will be seen that ample space is left at 9 and l0 between the roll and the chest and back of the wearer, so that it is impossible for any pressure to occur at these points. From Fig. G it will be observed that the accent-rement offers no inconvenience to the wearer, but rather produces a balanced effect with the haversack l1.

iVhile the foregoing is a disclosure of the preferred form of application of myinvention, I desire it understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details disclosed, inasmuch as the invention is susceptible of many changes in details and of wider application. The disclosure will, however, serve to illustrate the convenience of the equipment and that the load of the soldiers outfit,when equalized on both shoulders, is brought to bear directly over the center of gravity without pressure upon the back or chest. Furthermore, for temporary relief when marching the weight of the roll can be shifted from one side of the body tothe other without removing the equipment. The roll can also be reversed and worn on either shoulder. The arms are free for use of the rifle, and the roll interferes in no way with the soldiers convenience or accuracy in firing, whether standing, kneeling, or prone. It is found in practice that the blanket-roll support as herein described will add but thirteen ounces to the soldiers field equipment, while the blanket-bag heretofore used adds two pounds and iive ounces. Finally, it will be observed that the cost and durability of the present equipment offer important advantages over the device heretofore used.

"While I have described the roll in connection with the haversack-strap, it is quite obvious that the former is well adapted to be worn without the latter and when so worn retains all of its principal advantages.

It is obvious that the shaping-strip which I have described as applied to the sheltertent is equally applicable to the haversackstrap or to any similar means which may be employed for supporting the bag or receptacle over the shoulder, and when so applied will prevent pressure of the weight of the object which is carried from being transmitted to the chest or back. Y

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. In a roll or pack bent so as to be borne upon the shoulder, the combination of the cover or fabric to be rolled and the flexible shaping-strip inclosed in the cover or fabric, in a position to lie longitudinally of the roll when formed and to impart the desired shape over the shoulder part at the point of bending as explained.

2. In a roll or pack bent so as to be borne IOC IIO

3. An accoutrement comprising` a roll having a cover provided With a flexible shapingpiece secured longitudinally of the roll, the shoulder-strap having rings, the roll-straps and the adjusting-straps whereby the rollstraps are connected to the rings; substantially as described.

CHAS. DODGE.

Witnesses:

J oHN ROGERS SEYBURN, WM. R. DASHIELL. 

